Spacecraft, such as satellites, can carry hardware such as communication equipment and remote sensing equipment in a relatively small payload space. Along with the size constraints imposed on satellites by available space in launch vehicles, satellite payload space is also constrained by the other components included in the satellite. For example, fuel storage devices such as propellant tanks may require a substantial portion of satellite real estate. For such satellites, the design of the propellant tank or tanks may impinge upon the layout design of the satellite payload compartment. For example, a satellite propellant tank may be designed with a cylindrical space that is relatively short in height but wide in width. Due to the relatively flat shape of the propellant tank, and to meet size requirements, electrical and electronic equipment is distributed on horizontally-stacked mounting panels that are positioned above the propellant tank. While these horizontally-stacked panels may provide appropriate equipment space for this propellant tank design, for other propellant tank designs, the size constraints of a launch vehicle may not be satisfied. Additionally, by horizontally-stacking the equipment mounting panels, heat generated by the electrical and electronic equipment populating the mounting panels may not be efficiently dissipated to hold the equipment within allowable temperature ranges.